SPRING-Clean Declutter - Need Help

2011 flood zones. Plus a bit. We got flooded that year, despite there having been no record of our 1800s house ever flooding previous to that. 'Tis another of our motivations to declutter. There's only so much stuff that you can lift up above floodzone at short notice.

Like that approach @Determined 🙂

Plenty of flood zones SE Qld Darcy @Smc the 2011 floods trigger me, they crushed my family. Interesting your home never saw it before. Guess water runoff changes. We can't control the elements.

But yes, very conscious of flooding.

@AppleblossomAppleblossom lovely post, glad your situation is stable for the now, and he WANTS to stay, and asked. Wow. I donno what to do. But an old plan I had resurfaced last night, a brick villa going for 130k - its only 90min drive from my son but in a small country town and I'm not sure the isolation and small town mentality is good for me. Can I be happy just in my home for the rest of my days? However - two major towns are only 1/3hr drive away - or bus.

As for my decluttering efforts *DARCY* (thanks for the push lol) I did scrape up a few dustpans full of all sorts of crap in the laundry shed, yukky! And wrapping / packing breakables out back for charity. Delivered a box full yesterday. Think mum just liked buying stuff - a lot t of things here were never used.

Yes I agree we have to not over think each item - just move through it quickly.

If the villa has been on the market for a while they could be open to offer @Former-Member transport a plus, are health services adequate?

I think getting out a couple times per week in something that genuinely involves you heart and soul might stave off the loneliness. A new start. I am cautious too. I know I am wary of small country town mentalities, but I think times have changed since I heard/saw about the negative aspects of country towns. There has been a lot more movement, migrations and inclusions.

Being older and wiser might mean you manage social deficits as belonging outside of you, and put it back on society where it belongs.

I was just trying to be specific and show possibility. @Former-MemberOf course do what works for you.

Recently watched interesting music movie called "Broken Hill".

Cheers All

@Former-Member @Faith-and-Hope @Smc @Determined

Yrs Darcy, its been on the market a long while. The same design at back of units is going for 50k more cause its done up but being double brick its not that visible. Thing is, Rates & Body Corp fees = $60wk which is cheaper than storage. On the other hand my son says "it looks like somewhere you go to die" which sets off the MI but think he's referring to the SMALL town quiet. Its so hard to make decisions like this. I think it would be a good inheritance for him to rent out & use as calateral as its low maintenance. Sometimes ya just gotta take a leap of faith. ItIt might also give me some sence of 'home' (belonging somewhere viable) to go back to take shelter from my siblings when dad diesdies or goes into care. at this vulnerable time. Might make a reduced offer when my contract becomes valid

Yikes! One week already gone.

@Former-Member, our small town suits us well, but in any town you'll find good and bad. They are certainly much more affordable as far as housing is concerned than larger centres.

We can access GPs, psychologists and other specialists in town via our local health service, but anywhere much smaller might not have that available. Our population is somewhere between 1000 and 1500. We've got a chemist, library, newsagent, small supermarket, cafes and other businesses; a neighbourhood house with assorted groups and classes; assorted town social clubs and special interest groups. Maybe start asking around and see what is/isn't available in the place you're thinking about. Make a few day trips and quietly hang out at a cafe or milkbar, or any other place where locals are relaxing, to get a feel of the town culture. See if they've got a town facebook page, and if so, is it a friendly one?

I do know that in a small town there's some standard "getting to know you" questioning that happens- what do you/did you do, where did you come from, what brought you here etc. Some people are fine with that, others find it threatening and intrusive. There do also tend to be gossipy grapevines, but our experience is that if you don't pass on "mud" about other people, you don't get too much passed on about yourself.

This is the living room which is pretty good for the price I think. Not sure why its not sold since I found it last May, but maybe God is saving it for me. Gives hope. Maybe take my piano - do lessons.

Where"s @Kurra, wonding how she's managing her big movemove / life changes?

I have a 'friend' who supports giving the bulk of $ to my son asto use as a deposit for a unitunit himself, & i should just rent. I could. But this supports my Si plans, that msg that I'm done! Not worthy! Less than! Not important! Don't matter! ... blar blar blar! Wouldn't it be lovely if my friends, my son, my family were like you guys here encouraging me to took after me first. I forget that this really is our first responsibility to God, to honour the image of God in me, but obviously not forgetting others.

This is not getting declutter done. LOL

@Former-Member

A lot of people are not aware that gifting of large amounts negatively affects centrelink payments - here is the link:

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/enablers/gifting

@Former-Member are there other towns close by via public teansporr so you could get out of the quiet country town when you wanted to ? Maybe go stay in the city (outskirts) occasionally for an overnight, where you could catch up with your son for dinner, then go home again the next day ? Visit gallieries and cottage industries as a “tourist in your own town” around the local area for day trips ? Time to invest in you .....